God’s Reply
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When men choose to have their own way, without seeking counsel from God, or in opposition to His revealed will, He often grants their desires, in order that, through the bitter experience that follows, they may be led to realize their folly and to repent of their sin.” The decision of the elders to ask for a king was shortsighted for several reasons: “Under the judges God had made each tribe virtually independent. Taxes were extremely low. . . . “God had given every Israelite considerable individual freedom in earning a livelihood, in choosing his own form of worship, and in administering his own affairs in general. . . . “. . . There was no such thing as hereditary succession; judges were raised up by God from time to time, on the basis of personal qualifications. . . . “Over and over again when Israel had sought the Lord for counsel, He miraculously protected them from the attacks of the enemy. . . . “. . . Under God’s guidance mistakes could become steppingstones to a greater knowledge of God and His plan of salvation.” “And still the longing to conform to worldly practices and customs exists among the professed people of God. As they depart from the Lord they become ambitious for the gains and honors of the world. Christians are constantly seeking to imitate the practices of those who worship the god of this world.” Are you content to let leaders dictate your thoughts as long as they do not disturb your possessions or ease? Christians should stand apart as different (1 Peter 2:9)!
